Concepts
Event statuses
An event is prematch, then in_play, then finished. Finished events stay readable.
Lifecycle
| Status | Meaning |
|---|---|
prematch | Listed and not yet started. |
in_play | The books report it has started. An event no book reports on stays prematch past its listed start. |
finished | Over: a result source says so, or 4 hours after the start with no book reporting it in play. |
Filter with status= on /events. On the WebSocket, a changes frame with an empty list and a new status marks the move to in-play, and event_removed marks the end.
Finished events
A finished event leaves the live list but is not gone. /events lists it when you give a date window (with has_closing, off_at and off_source), /odds returns its closing card, and /history returns its price moves. The event_id and every selection_key are unchanged. Finished events go back to 2026-08-26 (history to 2026-07-22).
Books once in play
Most bookmakers stop listing an event once it starts, so an in_play event usually carries far fewer books than it did prematch. Its close_odds fill in a few minutes after the off; see opening and closing prices.